IWBF is recognized by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) as the sole competent authority in wheelchair basketball worldwide.

[2] In 1973, the International Stoke Mandeville Games Federation (ISMGF) established the first Sub-section for wheelchair basketball.

However, because of the limited number of countries with active programs in the rest of the world, IWBF chose to combine some regions to create better developmental and competitive opportunities within the zone.

Members in May 2022:[3][4][5][6] As of 2003, IWBF has 76 NOWB actively participating in wheelchair basketball throughout the world with this number increasing each year.

As of 2021, IWBF has 95 NOWB actively participating in wheelchair basketball throughout the world with this number increasing each year.

Philip Craven (Great Britain) who had served as Chairperson of the ISMGF wheelchair basketball Section since 1988 was elected in 1993 as the first President of IWBF.

[1] Don Perriman (Australia) is the current President of Classification Commission Kenneth McKay (Great Britain) Gold Classifier Gholamhossein Shahrabadi (Iran) Gold Classier Toufic Allouch (Lebanon) Wheelchair basketball national organizations have developed in a variety of ways.